Mourning for Mamba
Meryl Streep had a simple message on Instagram following the death of a former National Basketball Association superstar: “RIP Kobe Bryant #mrylstreep #kobebryant #50cent”
The award-winning actress added a photo of her, Bryant and rapper 50 Cent taken courtside in 2014 during a Los Angeles Lakers game against the New York Knicks.
Eerily, the photo posted on Instagram by 50 Cent was taken on Jan. 26, 2014, a Sunday and carried by People on Jan. 27, 2014, a Monday. Bryant’s helicopter crashed on Jan. 26, also a Sunday, killing him, his 13-year-old daughter, and seven others.
The rapper captioned the photo, “Things got a little gangsta.” He said of another shot of him and Streep sitting courtside: “Man, I got a good life lol.”
Somber Degeneres
The usually ebullient talk-show host Ellen Degeneres was serious, subdued and fought hard not to cry the day after Kobe Bryant’s death. Jan. 26 was her birthday. Here are excerpts from an Instagram video of the opening for her Monday show:“Yesterday was supposed to be a celebratory day, then we got the tragic news about Kobe Bryant and everything changed in a second. And that’s what I want to talk about. Life is short and it’s fragile, and we don’t know how many birthdays we have … (if) you don’t have a birthday to celebrate just celebrate life and if you haven’t told someone you love them, do it now. Do it. Tell people you love them. Call your friends. Text your friends. Hug them. Kiss them.”
Hurting
Kaley Cuoco, who starred on television’s hit sitcom “Big Bang Theory,” posted on Instagram: “Been sitting here for a few hours completely gutted by this news… Kobe–this one is gonna hurt for a long, long time. I feel so lucky being able to witness your brilliance courtside so many times, including your record-scoring game. I loved basketball because of you. I compared every athlete to you. You made your mark on this earth and will always be the GOAT. My future children will know it was you! Deepest prayers for Kobe, Gigi, Vanessa, their three daughters, the entire Bryant family, and the additional lives that were also lost in today’s tragedy.”
Prayers for Kobe
Stage and screen actor Rita Wilson, wife of Tom Hanks, posted: “My prayers go out to @kobebryant’s wife Vanessa, his surviving daughters, their parents and families. Prayers also to the other families who lost loved ones in the crash. Heartbreaking. Psalm 23:4 ‘Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.’”